Can-body maker



J. F. PETERS CAN BODY MAKER Aug. 19, 1930.

Filed June :5, 1927 5 sheets-sheet 1 @A 7% l l I Y ATroRNEYs Aug. 19, 1930. i J. F. 'PETERS 1,773,277

CAN BODY MAKER Filed June 3, 1927 s sheets-sheet 2 7 i Z2 4 TF 22 2f 2; 24 a j Z fg A 3 2- l Z/wa I G x Z4 7i v.52 4f /M Aug. 19, 1930.

J. F. PETERS 1,773,277

CAN BODY MAKER Filed June 3, 1927 s slheets-shet s,

- INVENTOR u 7 B @AL 77 75 7'2 A'rroRN' Ys l y Patented Augf! 19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. PETERS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION l' NEW JERSEY CAN-BODY v MAKER Application led June 3, 1927. Serial No. 196,186. j

This invention relates in general to an improved apparatus for forming sheet metal blanks into complete can bodies. It may be more particularly described as an improvement upon the. construction shown in my Patent No. 1,625,091 of April 19, 1927, for Can body making machine, in which can body blanks are fed automatically from a magazine along a straight line through a notching apparatus. After being notched, the blanks are fed at right angles into forming rollers and positioned about a horn along which they are subsequently moved through various operations to ,complete the finished can body.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to dispense with the feeding of tbe blanks past a notching station and to obviate changing of the direction of movement of the notched blanks in feeding them to the forming rollers.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simplified automatic mechanism wherein a can body blank is preliminarily formed upon a horn and the partially formed body1 is notched as one of the horn operations.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of an improved form of blank feeding mechanism. whereby the lowermost blank of a stack is withdrawn from the magazine instead of being pushed therefrom by the engagement of the remote edge of the blank.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a` preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can body maker embodying the present invention and including the association of a standard type of side soldering machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the body forming apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on a line passing through the blank magazine and Fig. 6 is a'section taken on the line 6-6 l of Fig. 4 illustrating the forming roll shaft and bearings; I

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig. 3, showing the supportng horn and associated parts in side elevaion;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 illustrating the notching mechanism; i

Fig. 9`is an under side View of the notching dies in the horn takenlonthe line 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a. cross-section showing the edging station taken on the line-lO-lO of Fig. 1; and A Fig.- 11 is a cross-section showing the inter- Fig. 1, some of the parts being omitted for clearness.

locking station as taken on the line 11-11 in In the present invention plain or unnotched sheet metal blanks are withdrawn from the bottom of ama azine and are gripped at the edges to feed tlgiem one by one to the forming rollers instead of pushing the blanks at the remote edge from the bottom of the stack. Furthermore, the blanks as fed to the forming rollers are plain or unnotched so that the partially formed blank is first moved longitudinally of the forming horn to a notchin station where the adjacent edges are notche on the horn as desired. After this notching station, the blank is fed intermittently along the horn where the opposite edges are prepared with hooked edges adapted to be interlocked, the hooks are next-interlocked and pressed together, and the body thus formed may then be subjected to a side seam soldering o eration, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Re erring more particularly to the drawings, the principal operating arts are mounted upon a base or table 2O which is suitably supported by legs or stands secured to magazine base 21 is supported in the machine frame above the table 2() and has a number of posts'22 extending upwardly therefrom to form the magazine for containing a stack of can blanks 23. The rear ends ofthe blanks rest upon an inclined platform 24 which extends only partially over the bottom of the magazine and at the extreme forward edge are engaged by a supporting shelf spaced above the base 21 and having an upper downwa rdly inclined surface 26, the .intermediate portion of the blanks spanning a consider`` able space 27 between the inclined platform 24 and the inclined surface 26 upon which the forward edge of the lowermost can blank engages. This tends to cause the forward portion of the lowermost blank to sag. as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3. and the. central portion of the sagging part of the blank comes under the influence of a suction device which has a fixed nozzle 28 extending through the bottom of the base 21 and Communicating by means of a pipe 29 with a suitable vacuum pump 30. The vacuum pump is continuously operated by a connection with an eccentric 31 mounted upon an operating shaft 32.

It will be obvious that as the 'forward part of the lowermost blank 23 comes under the influence of suction from the nozzle 28, the forward edge is withdrawn from the supporting shelf 25 and is drawn downwardly against the base 21, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A feeding mechanism operates to ei'igage the edges of the lowermost blank as the forward end is held down againstthe table by suction in the nozzle 28, which moves the blank forwardly by gripping the edges thereof. Two oppositefgripper blocks 32 (see Figs. 4 and 5) are mounted in .slots 33 and are adapted to slide longitudinally in the vslots for feeding the Vblanks forwardly. Each block 32 is formed With a side wall 34 which projects upwardly from a face 35 flush with the upper surface of the base 21 as the block is mounted in its slot 33. A gripper dog 36 is pivoted against the wall 34 by a pivot screw 37 and has a gripping edge 38held normally against the face 35 by means of a leaf spring 39. These gripper blocks are made in opposite pairs and are mounted in the slots so that each wall 34 extends just outside of the edges of the blanks in the magazine.

After the lowermost blank 23 is moved into position resting upon the table 21. the blocks 32 are moved rearwardly from their forward position. the face 35 of each passing beneath the blank resting upon the table 21 and the dog 36 of each feeding block passing over the blank as the blocks are moved rearwardly or toward the left, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The forward movement of the blocks will cause the gripping edges 38 of the gripper dogs 36 to engage the opposite side edges of the blank between the dogs and the surfaces 35 ofthe blocks, so that when the blocks are moved forwardly the blank will be. withdrawn from the bottom of the stack and the forward edge of the blank will be fed to tue forming mechanism.

Reciprocating movement is imparted to the blocks 32 by means of an arm 40 which depends from each of them and extends below the base 21 where they are both connected to a link 41 which in turn is pivoted to the u )per end of a lever 42. the lower end of vwhic is pivoted in a bracket 43 secured to the table 20. Intermediate the ends of the lever is a cam following roller 44 adapted to engage in alchannel cam 45 secured to the shaft 32. Continuous rotation of this Shaft oscillates the lever 42 vcausing the blocks 32 to be reciprocated in unison in their slots 33. the dogs 36 passing over the edges of the lowerniost blanks as they are moved toward the left. as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4.

lYlien the lowerinost. blank is withdrawn from tne magazine by the gripper blocks, the forward edge of said blank is advanced through the space below the shelf 25 to be engaged by the forming and feeding rollers t6 and 47. as shown more clearly in Figs. C) and 6. The roller 46 is mounted on a shaft 48 and the roller t7 is mounted upon a corresponding shaft 49, the two shafts being connected for movement together by inter-meshing gears 50 and 51 secured to the shafts respectively. One of the shafts, as 48. is journalled in a fixed licaring 52. and the other shaft 49 is jourualled in a bearing box 53 slidable in a journal frame 54 and pressed upwardly therein by a spring 55 so that the gears 50 and 51 are maintained iii inter-meshing engagement with each other. but allowing a slight movement apart of the rollers 46 and .47. The fixed shaft 48 also has a sprocket 56 secured thereto engaged by a sprocket chain 57 which alsoy engages a driving sprocket 58 secured to the shaft of an electric motor 59 which is suitably mounted on the. table 20. The rotation of this motor drives both of the rollers 46 and 4T continuously at high speed so that the blanks 23 are drawn rapidly therebetween.

A forming plate 66 is mounted close to the rollers 46 and 4T on the side opposite the magazine. and has an adjusting screw 61 for varying its position. so that as the blank passes between the rollers the `plate diverts or curves the blank. giving it a cylindrlcal or other shape. and at the same time positions l it about a forming horn 62. Partially surrounding the horn above the forming rollers are pairs of shields 63 and 64 hinged upon a rod 65 extending above the horn and suppoited at its outer end by a bracket 66. Other shields 6T carrying bars 68 (see Figs. 1 and 7) are also pivoted to the rod 65 for partially encircling the horn 62 and the body blank as it is moved along thel horn past the subsequent stations.

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For moving the lor-med blank intermittently along thi` horn 32. toward the right in lig. i. and through the other operating Stations, the horn i` :tb l

prorided aan longitudinal grooves in which are feed bars (it), which carry spring-pressed teeding dogs Ttl. These. bars are reciprocated b v a suitable connection inside ot the horn with the upper end ot a lever T1 pivoted at its lower end to the table 2O and connected intermediate its ends by means ot an adjustable link T2 with a crank T3 on the driving shaft 32. The reciprocation of the leed bars G9 causes the springpressed dogs T0 to engage the rear ends oi the can blanks on the horn in one direction of movement and the dogs passing within the blanks upon their reverse movement.

The blank notching station and operation' are illustrated more cle-arly in Figs. 7. 8 and 9, each blank being brought to rest in 'its partially formed or rounded position with the adjacent ends spaced apart on the horn, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. In this position the lower edges of the blank overlap recessed die members Tel and secured to the under surface of the horn 62 as shown more clearly in Fig. 9. In notching a blank for the ordinary lock and lap seam. one of the die members has an elongated slot 76. and the. other has spaced recesses T7. Notching punches T8 and T9 cof-operate with the die openings 7G and T7, and the punches are carried by plates 8O movable at an angle to each other, and preferably in a radial direction with respect to the horn G2, upon inclined faces 81 ot a lifted support 82. Each plate 8O is connected by links 82S with arms S1 secured'to an oscillating cross-shaft S5 pivoted in bearings 86 formed on the support 82. As there are two plates 80. there will be a cross-shaft S5 at cach side of the support and at the end of each cross-shaft is a Jevel gear ST meshing with a corresponding bevel gear 88 at the opposite ends ot an oscillating shaft 89 journalled in bearings 90 formed on the support 82. The oscillating shaft 89 has an arm 91 fixed thereto pivoted to one end ot' an adjustable connecting rod 92, the other end ot which is secured to an eccentric strap 93 (see Figs, 3 and T) operating over an eccentric carried b v the shaft 32. Continuous rotation of the shaft 32' therefore imparts oscillation to the shaft S9 which in turn oscillates the cross-shafts 85. raising and lowering the plates 80 and the notching punches carried therebyy in timed relation with respect to the. blanks carried along the horn (52.

The notching of the can blank thus takes place after the blank has been fed to and curled about a horn. and after the blank has been fed along the horn from the forming station to the notching station by means ot' the feeding bar Gl). AHter the. uotching operation the feed bars engage the formed and in the under side of the.

carried by an oscillating member 96 and cof operate with edging dies. tt and 2S located horn G2 and also with pivoted edging jaws Qi? and 1.00 which areroeved inwardly upon links 1471 to form ly extenigling hooks 102 and 'ill at. the adjacent edges o? the can blank.

After the edging operation is completed the blank thus formed is moved along the horn to the interlockingr and final closing station. This operation is illustrated in Fi". l1 as comprising clamping favvs 104 which are broughtv against the blank upon the horn in timed relation to each other and in cooperation with connecting arms and 10G which move the hooks 1.02 and 103 into interconnected relation, after which the. seam is engaged and flattened by a bumping hammer 107. During this operation the can body blank is securely held by means of an upper clamp 108 engaging the upper portion of the body blank and holding it securely on the horn 62.

The specific edging and interconnecting mechanisms herein briefly described constitute no part of the invention but are more com iletely shown, described and claimed in my atent 1,625,091 heretofore mentioned, it being sufficient for the purposes of the present invention that any suitable edging and interlocking mechanisms be employed.

In order to operate the mechanisms, the shaft 32 is provided vwith a driving sprocket 109 at one end connected by a sprocket chain 11() with a driving sprocket 111 upon a main shaft 112 mounted for rotation beneath the table 20 and carrying a fly Wheel 113. Gears llconnect the main shaft 112 to a substantially vertical shaft 115, the upper end of which is connected by gears 116 to a horizontal shaft 117. Spur gears 11S and 119 connect the horizontal shaft 117 with a driving shaft 12() which carries driving nulleys 121 for a power applying belt connection.

In Fig. 1 there is also indicated a connection of the body forming machine with a standard form of side seam soldering ma.- chine designated generally by the reference numeral 122 and driven simultaneously by a sprocket chain 123 connected to the drive shaft 12() by means of a sprocket 124 with driving mechanism 125 and by a sprocket chain '126 from the driving mechanism 125 directly to the side seam soldering machine 122. v

Vit-h this construction itis apparent thatv the can body blanks are fed in a .stack to the top of a magazine in plain or unnotched condition Where theare fed one at a time from the bottom olE the stack, not by pushing the lowermost blank therefrom but by gripping the sides ot' the blank at a distance itil;

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from the forward end and feeding the lowermost blank endwise until the forward edge thereof is en aged by feedin and forming rollers. The blank is then cur ed or partiall formed upon a horn along which it is a vanced intermittently to various stations where it is first notched upon the hornv as contradistin uished from a notching operation of the lank prior to the preliminary forming operation, and then after the notching operation the body is completely formed in a Well-known manner by an edging mechanism which forms hooks on the adjacent edges and then by an interlocking and final closing mechanism to completely form the can body. After this the formed seam in the can body may be subjected to a soldering action in a side seam soldering machine as indicated. All of the operations are entirely automatic subsequent to the placin of the blanks in the magazine, the mechanisms being properly timed to complete their operations in succession as thus explained.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of thevparts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the

A form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred Vembodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A machine for making can bodies, comprisin 4a forming horn, means for moving parta ly formed can blanks along the horn, and notching means for operating on the partially formed blanks in position on the horn.

2. A machine for making can bodies, compising a forming horn, means for arranging body blanks upon said horn, intermittent feeding means for advancing the blanks along the horn, notching means for engaginor the edges of body blanks when arranged around the horn in one position thereof, and means for uniting the notched edges at a subsequent station alon thl` horn.

3. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, means for positionmg blanks upon the horn, means lfor intermlttently moving blanks along the horn for successive blank closing operations, said means comprisin the spacing apart of the ends of a can blan positioned upon the horn. and end notching means for engaging the spaced apart edges while on said horn to provide them with notches prior to the operation of other blank closin means.

4. In a machine for ma ing can bodies, a formin horn, means for positioning a blank about t e horn with the ends spaced apart at the bottom. forming dies in connection with the horn in position to receive the spaced apart ends, and punches movable against the spaced apart ends in such position and cooperating with said dies to form such ends with cooperating notches.

5. In a machine for making can bodies, a forming horn, means for positionin` a can blank upon the forming horn, with t e ends thereof spaced apart, and notching means movable to engage the spaced apart ends when in position on the horn in such partially formed position.

6. In a machine for making can bodies, a forming horn, means for positioning` a blank upon said horn with the ends of the blank spaced apart, and punching means for engaging the ends of the blank when it is upon the horn in their spaced apart positiom 7. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, means for positioning blanks upon said horn and partially forming the blanks with their ends in spaced apart position. punching means for engaging the spaced apart ends upon the horn, edging means for subse uently forming interengaging hooks upon t ie notched edges, and means for closing the blanks by interengaging the hooks and closing them to form a tight seam.

8. In a machine for making can bodies. a forming horn, means for positioning blanks upon the horn with the ends of each blank spaced apart, and punching means movable radially with respect to the horn for engaging the ad acent spaced apart ends of the blank on sai horn.

9. In a machine for making can bodies, a forming horn, means for positioning the blank upon the horn with the ends spaced apart. punching means for engaging the spaced apart ends of a blank upon the horn, said punching meansl comprising plates slidable at an angle to each other, an'd means for intermittently operating the plates.

l0. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, means for positioning ilanks upon the horn` and an intermittent feeding means for the blanks adapted to engage a single blank at the edges thereof and to feed one end thereof into the positioning means, and devices for moving the blankengaging parts ot' said feeding means towards the opposite side edges of the blank.

11. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn` and means for engaging the two opposite side edges of each blank for moving one end of the blank to the horn.

12. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, roller means for positioning blanks one by one upon the horn. means for advancing the blanks intermittently along the horn, notching, ed e forming. and final finishing means operab e in succession upon a blank positioned upon the horn. and intermittent means for engaging" the edges of a blank to feed one end thereof into engagement with the forming rollers.

13. n a machine for making can bodies, a forming horn, continuouslyY operating feed rollers for positioning a blank upon a horn, intermittent feeding mechanism including side grippcrs for feeding engaging down on the top of the blank for drawing one end of a blank to the forming rollers. and suction means for drawing down a portion of a blank y for engagement by tbe said grippers.

1-1. ln a machine for making can bodies, intermittent blank feeding mechanism coniprising a magazine for can blanks with a space at. the bottom and a shelf for loosely supporting one end of the lowermost blank, suction means for drawing down the loosely supported portion of the lowermost blank, and means for engaging on top of the drawn down portion of the lower-most blank and feeding it thereby.

15. In a machine for making can bodies, continuously operating forming rollers, intermittent means for feeding blanks thereto from the bottom of a stack` said means. comprising a magazine having a raised crosspicce with an inclined shelf surface for engaging one end of the lower-most blank with a space at the bottom adjacent the cross-piece` lspanned by the lowermost blank. suction means at the bottom of said space tending to draw down the lowermost blank from engagement with the shelf. and a reciprocating gripper adapted te engage on top of the drawn down edge of the blank and to feed it endwise into engagement with said rollers.

16. In a machine for making can bodies, a feeder for the bottom blank of a stack, coinprising means forming a magazine with an inclined base, an end supporting shelf spaced from the inclined base to engage one end of the lowermost blank. the said blank spanning the space` a suction device drawing the blank downwardlyY from engagement with the shelf` and reciprocating side grippers having spring-pressed dogs movable over the edges of the downwardly drawn portion in one direction of movement engageable with the side edges of the blank to feed it endwise below the shelf in the other direction of movement.

17. ln a blank feeder for can bodies. means forming a magazine for a stack of blanks.

I said means comprising a base. and an inclined bottom piece for the rear end of the magazine, a shelf raised above the base having an inclined surface for engaging the forward edge of the lowermost blank at a distance from the inclined base forming a space which is spanned by a port-ion of the lowermost blank resting upon the bottom piece and the shelf, a fixed suction nozzle in the base tending t0 draw the lowermost blank from engagement with the shelf and against the bottom, and reciprocating grippers movable in the base at the edges of the magazine and each comprising a spring-pressed dog mounted above a surface level with said bottom and adapted to slide over the drawn down edges of the lowermost blank in the stack and to grip the sides of said edges at a distance from the end thereof to feed the blank endwise and to disengage it from the inclined bottom piece in the other direction of movement of the grippers.

18. In a feeder for can body blanks, a fixed suction device, means for supporting a body blank with a portion thereof to be actuated b v the device, and a reciprocating feeder having pivoted blank-engaging means, provided with edge grippers to engage a blank portion thus actuated.

19. A feeder for can body blanks comprising means for supporting a stack of blanks with a space below a portion of the lowermost blank, a suction device fixed at a dis- I tance from the stack and adapted to draw a port-ion of the lowermost blank away from the stack, and reciprocable means having pivoted parts movable upward and downward for engaging the downwardly drawn portion of a blank and feeding such bl ank thereb y20. 1n a can body blank feeder, means forming a blank holding magazine having an inclined' bottom for holding elevated the inner forward ends of the blanks and an end supportfor the front edges of the blanks, combined withmeans for drawing the lowermost blank to disengage its front edge from said end support.

JOHN F. PETERS.

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